TANNERSVILLE, Pa. — The Fountain Court Shopping Center in Pocono Township was the home to the Elegant Bridal Boutique.
It is now one of the businesses that lost everything in a fire Sunday morning at the complex. The shop lost hundreds of wedding dresses, many of which were already purchased by brides.
"I was just thinking like, 'Oh my gosh, imagine you getting married next month or like two weeks from now, and your dress was in there. Like, what are you going to do,'" said Amanda Ramirez of Cooolbaugh Township.
Ramirez posted a photo of a white gown she owned to the Pocono Moms Facebook group page, saying she would donate it for free to a bride who lost their dress in Sunday's fire.
"I was not thinking much of it. I'm like, maybe I'll get some interest in it, you know. It's not a wedding dress, but it's a really white dress that somebody could wear. I really was not expecting what followed. Like 500 likes and hundreds of comments and then all the other posts that came after it. Of all the women donating their dresses for free," Ramirez said.
Sol Quinones was one of the several people who saw Ramirez's post.
She decided to follow suit, too, posting photos of these dresses she would donate, which she thought would make good bridesmaid dresses.
"She just sparked something in me, and I'm like, I'm not going to wear these dresses again. They're going to go to waste. I might as well give it to a good cause," Quinones of Coolbaugh township said.
The women's efforts paid off, each passing along a dress to a bride in need.
"I just dropped off a dress. She's not having a formal wedding, or it's not traditional, so she picked one of my dresses," Quinones said. "She's getting married on the second."
"She was actually due to pick up her dress yesterday from that store, but that obviously didn't happen, and her wedding is in August, so. I'm going to be meeting with her sometime today, and I'm going to give her the dress for free," said Ramirez.
If you are one of the brides who lost their wedding gown in the fire, you're encouraged to join the Pocono Moms Facebook page to see if you like any.
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